Origins and Terminology of Rheumatology

The term 'rheumatology' stems from the historical concept of bodily 'humors' flowing to different joints, reflecting the early understanding of joint issues as imbalances. Although it has persisted over time, the term remains vague to many, leading to ongoing discussions about potentially renaming the specialty to something more descriptive, like 'inflammatology.' The evolution of rheumatology as a distinct field emerged slowly, gaining recognition as a separate board certification by the American Board of Internal Medicine in the 1970s. This period marked a shift toward categorizing diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and gout, which were previously not clearly defined in the context of autoimmune conditions.